In this life

Chapter 24

After dinner we all helped clear up and were having more drinks in the garden together. Daniel had been relaxed and funny and was having a good time. My family were all very welcoming to him and I noticed my Mum and Dad sharing a smile at each other watching the two of us together.
The only person that wasn't having a good time was Liam. Sophie kept rolling her eyes and sternly told him several times over the course of the evening to cheer up and stop being moody, in a hushed voice.
At around eleven o'clock Johnny announced that they were going home as Emily was tired, early weeks of pregnancy were taking their toll.
"Is there anything left to organise for next week?" She asked me as we were saying our goodbyes, referring to her hen do.
"Nope, I had confirmation from the stripper this morning, so we're all good" I teased, Emily gave me a big, playful wink.
Johnny got me in a headlock "Oi!" He laughed "I'm trusting you to look after her, not lead her astray!"
I laughed, freeing myself from the grip of his arm, "No, seriously though, it's all sorted. Apart from I'm still waiting to hear from one of your friends, but I'll text her tomorrow" I explained.
"Ava, I bet!" Emily rolled her eyes "I'm sure she's coming, she's just rubbish at getting back, I'll give her a nudge too" she kissed me on the cheek.
"Great, see you Friday" I kissed her back.
"Was lovely to meet you Daniel" she offered her cheek to him too and he kissed her goodbye "Will I see you at our wedding?"
"Likewise and umm, yes I think so" he replied, looking at me for confirmation.
"Yes of course" I smiled.
"Great, see you then" Emily smiled.
Johnny shook Daniel's hand and he kissed me on the cheek. We said goodbye and they made their way to the front door, so Mum and Dad could see them out.
Liam got up to head out to the back garden to have a cigarette. Daniel and Harry were talking about some online game, so I left them to it and went to follow Liam. He'd bugged me all day with his shit attitude to Daniel and I was on a mission to pull him up on it.
He was leaning up against the shed wall, sparking up his lighter when I got outside. He looked up to me and sighed, shaking his head as he saw me and then looked away to continue lighting his cigarette.
"What the fuck is your problem?" I started as I walked over to him.
"Don't Rosie! Just leave it"
"No I won't leave it! Everyone has been nice except you! You've been really rude and just made yourself look like a wanker!"
He shrugged, nonchalantly.
"Although I don't know why I'm surprised" I continued "you've always been a wanker when it comes to me, so I guess there's nothing new there" I turned to go back inside, knowing I wasn't going to get anywhere talking to him. As I reached the patio Liam called to me;
"Rosie"
I turned round, arms folded, waiting.
"How well do you know Daniel?"
"Very!" I turned back not really caring what he had to say.
"Rosie" he called me again "...So do I".
I stood looking at him, unsure what to say. Did Liam know Daniel's secret?
"How do you know Daniel?" I asked inquisitively.
"I met him in 2001. When I was sixteen..."
"...where....?"
"It's funny" he pretended to laugh "he hasn't aged a day in fifteen years"
Shit. Liam did know. Now his foul mood had made sense. Who would be happy if their little sister was in a relationship with a vampire?!
"So I ask you again..." He took a drag of his cigarette and blew it away, "...how well do you know Daniel?"
"Very!" I answered honestly. Letting Liam know that I knew.
I knew Daniel had a past and whatever happened before I knew him wasn't going to change the way I felt about him. Liam nodded slowly. We stood in silence for a moment. I was daring Liam to say something. He put his cigarette out and slowly walked towards me, stopping inches from my face.
"The first opportunity I get Rosie..." He spoke in a threatening whisper in to my ear "...I'll steak that undead mother fucker!" He walked into the house, leaving me alone in the garden.
My heart was racing.
I needed to be with Daniel. I heard the back door open.
"Rosie?" It was Daniel. I went to him and threw my arms around him. He wrapped his arms around me to comfort me.
"He knows" I whispered.
"I know" Daniel squeezed me tighter, "I'll sort it. Don't worry" he kissed me on my forehead "Let's go home, yeah?"
I nodded.

***

Daniel passed me a cup of tea and sat next to me on his sofa. I thanked him and took it and he played softly with my hair. He took a sip of his tea before speaking.
"You know..-" he turned my chin to him "he's definitely not the first person to want to steak me. And he sure as hell won't be the last" he moved his hand to the back of my head "But that doesn't mean he will"
"What happened?" I leaned into his hand "how does he know about you?"
He sighed "I used to work in the city. I was there when your brother started his apprenticeship. We went out on a works do and it didn't end well" he took another sip of his tea "I didn't recognise him at first, but when I heard him talking to you in the garden I realised he was that kid."
"So what did he see?"
"Me fighting with two other vampires"
"Over what?"
He sighed "My girlfriend at the time"
"Oh..." I hadn't even considered the possibility that Daniel had been with anyone else, but of course he had. I didn't like the thought of him with someone else. I wondered if he'd loved her... I wondered how many girlfriends he'd had. I knew I shouldn't be jealous, but I was.
"Was she a vampire too?" I asked looking at my tea, pretending I was fine.
"Yes" He tilted his head to try to work out what I was thinking.
"So what happened?" I managed a pretty convincing smile.
"She was in some sort of trouble, they found her, I tried to help her, she ran, I've never seen her since"
"And Liam?"
"I know he's your brother... But truth be told he was a cocky little prick and could have got himself into some serious trouble with them-"
"The other vampires looking for your girlfriend?"
"-Yes. I grabbed him and scared him off."
"So you actually helped him?"
He nodded, "But I also scared the absolute shit out of him too, so I can understand why he's pissed off" he shrugged.
"Well I'll just talk to him, tell him what really happened. Once he knows that he will be fine surely..."
"That's sweet Rosie, but, do you completely trust Adam?" He raised his eyebrows "No, you don't. And he didn't even lay a finger on you"
I understood his point and sighed.
"So how long was she your girlfriend?" I couldn't help myself from asking.
Daniel drank more of his tea and didn't answer me. I looked at him and he was trying not to smile.
"What?"
"You're cute when you're jealous" he teased.
I pouted. "Did you love her?" Now I was almost sulking. Daniel laughed,
"No"
"How many girlfriends have you had?"
"Do you really want to have this conversation?" He smirked.
I shrugged.
"Ive only ever had one that matters" He answered as he stroked my cheek. I gave him an unimpressed look and drank my tea. I could see him trying not to laugh from the corner of my eye.
After a while he spoke again, "So tell me about what you have planned for Emily's hen do"
"Well, obviously she can't drink, so I didn't think it would be fair to just go to a club or bar or anything, so I've booked a spa where the staff wait on us, we've got treatments booked, a dinner, I've got some games sorted and a minibus to take us all there together and bring us all home that night"
"Ok" he nudged me "so when is the stripper coming?"
"About nine o'clock" I laughed.
Daniel smiled "Just keep your hands to yourself!" he finished his tea.
"Who's jealous now?" I smirked.
"I'm not jealous" he laughed "I just know what girls are like when you're unleashed I that sort of environment"
"Oh really? Do you" I rolled my eyes.
"Yes actually, I've had plenty of time on my hands. There's not much I haven't done" He raised one eyebrow.
"You've been a stripper?"
"I've been lots of things" he stood up and walked to his stereo, switching it on he turned to look at me with seductive eyes and that ultra sexy half smile.
I put my tea down and made myself comfy, excitedly getting ready for my own private show......